Ministry Matters: Ben KendrickContent by Ben Kendrickhttp://www.ministrymatters.com
en-usThu, 17 Jul 2014 19:44:52 GMTFinding Purposehttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/4755/finding-purposehttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/4755/finding-purpose
<p>By Ben Kendrick</p>
<img src="http://www.ministrymatters.com/images/custom/12749/image.jpg" align="right" width="308" height="205" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;" />
<p>Ever since The LEGO&reg; Group began producing their trademark interlocking blocks back in 1949, the toys have grown to become a global childhood staple. In recent years the brand has extended beyond traditional block sets as a multimedia platform&mdash;including franchise-themed LEGOs (such as Star Wars and DC Comic superheroes, among others), videogames, television series, and now a full feature-length, big-screen adventure. However, in <em>The LEGO Movie</em>, the world isn&rsquo;t saved by superhero do-gooders like Superman and Batman; instead, the fate of LEGO-kind falls to everyman construction worker, Emmet (voiced by Chris Pratt)&mdash;who has been dubbed &ldquo;The Special&rdquo; by a force beyond his understanding. After spending the majority of his life attempting to fit in, listening to pop music, and drinking expensive coffee, Emmet&rsquo;s unremarkable existence is turned upside down. One night he stumbles upon &ldquo;The Kragle,&rdquo; a mysterious tool, which according to prophecy can end the reign of Lord Business (played by Will Ferrell).</p>
<h2>Finding the Special Within</h2>
<p>Lord Business is a tyrannical dictator, obsessed with erasing creativity and individual expression from the LEGO Universe. It is up to Emmet, along with the heroic Master Builders (LEGO people who are free to create whatever they want) to stop him. Yet, when it becomes clear that Emmet isn&rsquo;t like most Master Builders, many of the heroes begin to doubt his credibility and outright reject him as &ldquo;The Special.&rdquo; Armed with renewed purpose and a desire to protect the LEGO Universe, Emmet learns to embrace his own unique gifts, discovering there is no one single &ldquo;Special.&rdquo; Every LEGO person has been provided with talents, skills, and passions that make them capable of doing (and creating) amazing things&mdash;especially when working with others (and a set of instructions) for the sake of a greater good. Like Emmet, it&rsquo;s easy to look at other people for a model of whom we could be and what we should do with our lives. After all, if we can fit in, we don&rsquo;t have to risk the challenges that come with standing out or rocking the boat&mdash;but we are not supposed to hide away who we truly are just to be accepted by the in crowd. We are called to a larger purpose.</p>
<h2>An Awesome Faith</h2>
<p>God created each of us with special intent, and to that end, equipped us with unique gifts. Understandably we don&rsquo;t always know where to start or what we can become, but by growing in confidence, by rejecting outside pressures to conform, and by embracing who we truly are inside, we are positioned to do awesome things. Our Creator sees into our hearts, loving us for whom we are, accepting and celebrating what is inside us. If we hide what makes us special, how can we ever align our lives with God&rsquo;s intended purpose? As stated in Matthew 5:14- 15: &ldquo;You are the light of the world. A city on top of a hill can&rsquo;t be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they put it on top of a lampstand, and it shines on all who are in the house.&rdquo; We are faced with a lifechanging choice: Suppress our interests, passions, and gifts so that we can go unnoticed in a culture of conformity&mdash;or embrace our differences, celebrate them with others, and accept God&rsquo;s plan for our lives without hesitation.</p>
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<p>This article is also published as part of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">LinC</a>, a weekly digital resource for youth small groups and Sunday school classes. The complete study guide can be purchased and downloaded<a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
Tue, 18 Feb 2014 19:50:00 GMTLead Like a Hobbithttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/4530/lead-like-a-hobbithttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/4530/lead-like-a-hobbit
<p>By Ben Kendrick</p>
<img src="http://www.ministrymatters.com/images/custom/11979/image.jpg" align="right" width="308" height="205" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;" />
<p>Over seventy-five years after the initial publication of J. R. R. Tolkien&rsquo;s <em>The Hobbit</em>, director Peter Jackson is back with the second of three films following young Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) on his life-changing adventure through Middle-earth. The first film in the trilogy, <em>An Unexpected Journey</em>, released in 2012 to critical acclaim and commercial success, raking in over $1 billion in box-office revenues. Now, one year later, Warner Bros. is set to unleash the second volume, <em>The Desolation of Smaug</em>, in movie theaters. This installment sees Bilbo and Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen), along with Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and his fellow dwarves, traveling further into the heart of Middle-earth to confront the infamous dragon that has taken up residency in the Lonely Mountain. On their way the true King Under the Mountain and his band of warriors face giant spiders and the untrusting wood elves, ruled by Thranduil (Lee Pace), father of Legolas (Orlando Bloom), all before arriving at their destination, the former kingdom of the dwarves at Erebor, now home to the gold-loving dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch).</p>
<h2>Small Deeds, Great Leaders</h2>
<p>Like other Tolkien adventures, <em>The Hobbit</em> film series takes the main characters on an expansive trip through fantasy world locales, putting them face to face with a wide array of fictional races: elves, orcs, goblins, dragons, skin-changers, wizards, and more. Along the way the characters encounter several illustrious leaders. From the wise but chilly ruling of Lord Elrond to the brash and arrogant approach of Thorin Oakenshield to Gandalf&rsquo;s method of guiding up to a point then trusting his companions to find their own way, a variety of leadership styles are represented in Middle-earth.</p>
<p>The story also produces an unlikely leader: the title character, Bilbo Baggins. Though Bilbo lacks the brute strength and supernatural powers of his companions, he emerges as a leader because of his bravery and cunning in times of trouble. Like Bilbo, we need not be a great warrior or a political figure to be a leader. We all are blessed with God-breathed talents and are put in positions to use these gifts to guide and influence others. Some of us will do this through traditional leadership roles&mdash;as pastors, teachers, coaches, or business executives; others will do this is more subtle ways, leading by example.</p>
<h2>The Fellowship of the Faithful</h2>
<p>Often we think of a leader as an outspoken individual who takes charge and gives orders; and there are plenty of situations in which this leadership style is necessary. But leaders also must be humble, serving and showing compassion to those whom they lead. Jesus himself showed humility when he served his disciples by washing their feet (see John 13:1-20). Abraham (see Genesis 18:16- 33) and Moses (see Numbers 14:11-25), who were great Old Testament leaders, went before God to request mercy and compassion for people who had gone astray. Paul, a key leader in the early church, completely changed his plans to serve a Macedonian man who came to him in a vision (see Acts 16:6-10).</p>
<p>Some of your youth may already be in positions of leadership&mdash;serving in student government, as the captain of a sports team, or as an officer in a club or service organization. They may even hold leadership positions in your congregation or youth ministry. But those youth (and adults) who are not in positions of authority are still called to lead by example, much as Jesus and other biblical leaders led through service, compassion, and advocating on behalf of others. Just as Bilbo Baggins appeared unremarkable but proved to be a great leader, we can be influential leaders also, even if we are never elected or appointed to a position of power.</p>
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<p>This article is also published as part of&nbsp;<em><a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">LinC</a></em>, a weekly digital resource for youth small groups and Sunday school classes.&nbsp;The complete study guide can be purchased and downloaded&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
Thu, 12 Dec 2013 18:56:00 GMTFox-Eye Viewhttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/4347/fox-eye-viewhttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/4347/fox-eye-view
<p>By Ben Kendrick</p>
<img src="http://www.ministrymatters.com/images/custom/11369/image.jpg" align="right" width="308" height="205" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;" />
<p>In the 1980&rsquo;s and 1990&rsquo;s Michael J. Fox was one of the world&rsquo;s biggest stars. After becoming a household name as Alex P. Keaton on the sitcom <em>Family Ties</em>, Fox starred in hit films such as <em>Back to the Future</em> (and all its sequels), <em>Teen Wolf</em>, and <em>Doc Hollywood</em> before returning to TV as the star of the hit sitcom <em>Spin City</em>. In 1999 Fox revealed that he had Parkinson&rsquo;s disease. The next year he left the Hollywood spotlight as symptoms of his condition became difficult to manage. Since then he has made occasional guest appearances on television, but has been mostly retired from acting and has spent much of his time raising awareness for his illness through his Michael J. Fox Foundation.</p>
<p>Yet, after years away from the camera, Fox has returned to prime-time TV as the star of <em>The Michael J. Fox Show</em> on NBC. The show, which debuted on September 26, 2013, follows the story of former New York City news anchor Mike Henry (Fox) who left his high-profile job after being diagnosed with Parkinson&rsquo;s disease&mdash;a plot that shares more than a few parallels with Fox&rsquo;s own personal experiences. The show takes place five years into Henry&rsquo;s retirement, when his wife Annie (Betsy Brandt) and former boss Harris Green (Wendell Pierce) conspire to get the beloved anchor back on TV.</p>
<h2>An Alternate Perspective</h2>
<p><em>The Michael J. Fox Show</em>, which provides a unique perspective on Parkinson&rsquo;s disease along with an honest look at the challenges of everyday family life, debuted to solid ratings and critical praise. While Henry&rsquo;s Parkinson&rsquo;s disease is a major component of the show, as well as a jumping-off point for some of its most entertaining moments, his condition doesn&rsquo;t overshadow the challenges faced by his family. Henry&rsquo;s teenage daughter Eve (Juliette Goglia) and young adult son Ian (Conor Romero) have worries of their own.</p>
<p><em>The Michael J. Fox Show</em> isn&rsquo;t a show about Parkinson&rsquo;s disease, but it does give viewers a better sense of what it is like to live with the condition or to have a family member who does. It gives us a glimpse into the life of someone suffering from a chronic ailment that many of us have not experienced firsthand. As God&rsquo;s people&mdash;people who are called to have compassion toward and serve those who are poor, hungry, sick, and imprisoned (see Matthew 25:31-40)&mdash;it is important that we empathize with the struggles of God&rsquo;s children.</p>
<h2>Speak Mercy, Show Empathy</h2>
<p>Every Christian is a part of Christ&rsquo;s body and is called to carry out Christ&rsquo;s work here on earth. Being the eyes, ears, hands, and feet of Christ means seeing the world with new perspectives, hearing the stories and cries of those who suffer and struggle, and reaching beyond our comfort zones to better understand and support our neighbors. While we cannot trade places with another person, we can approach that person with love and compassion instead of with judgment. The Epistle of James tells us: &ldquo;In every way, then, speak and act as people who will be judged by the law of freedom. There will be no mercy in judgment for anyone who hasn&rsquo;t shown mercy. Mercy overrules judgment&rdquo; (James 2:12-13). We all come from different backgrounds and have different stories and different struggles. God didn&rsquo;t put us on earth together to judge or ridicule one another but to learn and grow by relating to one another. We must step outside of ourselves and consider the unique challenges that others face in their daily lives.</p>
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<p>This article is also published as part of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">LinC</a>, a weekly digital resource for youth small groups and Sunday school classes.&nbsp;The complete study guide can be purchased and downloaded&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
Tue, 15 Oct 2013 14:45:00 GMTNot-So-Lone Christianshttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/4075/not-so-lone-christianshttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/4075/not-so-lone-christians
<p>By Ben Kendrick</p>
<img src="http://www.ministrymatters.com/images/custom/10409/image.jpg" align="right" width="308" height="205" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;" />
<p>The Lone Ranger went on his first ride through the Old West on a radio program back in 1933. Since then he has become a staple American hero, along with his partner, Tonto, and white stallion, Silver. The character has appeared in various mediums over the last 80 years: novels, comic books, a successful television show in the 1950s, a 2003 TV movie that failed to launch a new TV series, and several feature films all chronicling the masked rider&rsquo;s adventures.</p>
<p>Now Walt Disney Pictures has enlisted the help of <em>Pirates of the Caribbean</em> filmmakers, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski, to bring The Lone Ranger back to the big screen for a summer blockbuster experience starring Armie Hammer as John Reid (the Lone Ranger) and Johnny Depp as Tonto. When a greedy railroad tycoon threatens to steamroll the West and enslave innocent citizens, lawman John Reid, who is presumed dead, must hide his true identity under a mask and become The Lone Ranger&mdash;a symbol of justice, committed to fighting wrongdoers any way he can. Along the way, he teams up with Tonto, a quirky Native American spirit warrior who sees potential in Reid and hopes that, in spite of their differences, they can work together to take down the ruthless outlaw Butch Cavendish (William Fichtner).</p>
<h2>Strength in Cooperation</h2>
<p>While prior interpretations of The Lone Ranger story have explored the dynamics between the lawman and his Comanche companion, the casting of Depp, the film&rsquo;s biggest star, as the Native American Tonto in Verbinski&rsquo;s film puts the partnership front and center. Having an unlikely and tense alliance from the beginning, the pair learn that the old adage &ldquo;the enemy of my enemy is my friend&rdquo; doesn&rsquo;t carry much weight in a life-or-death fight. Instead, The Lone Ranger and Tonto must learn to work together as equal partners if they hope to defeat the ruthless villains bent on grabbing power and money from the developing West. Like the legendary heroes, we are also called to seek out companions to help us tackle life&rsquo;s challenges. We cannot face every struggle on our own&mdash;nor does God want us to suffer in isolation&mdash;when a community of love and support is available to encourage us and keep us accountable. As in The Lone Ranger, our closest companions might initially not be those we expect. We may meet them in surprising or ways, and they may force us to change our ideas and perspectives.</p>
<h2>Not-So-Lone Christian Rangers</h2>
<p>When you consider the role of partnership in the Lone Ranger story, maybe the name Lone Ranger is a misnomer. The masked man can&rsquo;t fight for justice on his own. Likewise, we can&rsquo;t do the work of God&rsquo;s kingdom by ourselves. When we come together, we create a webbed community of faith and support that is much greater than whatever any of us could provide individually. Paul wrote to the church in Galatia, &ldquo;Brothers and sisters, if a person is caught doing something wrong, you who are spiritual should restore someone like this with a spirit of gentleness. Watch out for yourselves so you won&rsquo;t be tempted too. Carry each other&rsquo;s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ&rdquo; (Galatians 6:1-2).</p>
<p>Walking in faith is difficult; and while it will never be an easy and effortless road, we are not alone. If we make time to aid those around us, to listen to their cries and offer faithful reassurance, then we will have plenty of companions standing at the ready to return the favor when we struggle. This web of Christian companionship doesn&rsquo;t stop there, either. Companions in Christ build an energized community eager to reach into dark corners and, like The Lone Ranger and Tonto, help bring justice into God&rsquo;s world.</p>
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<p>This article is also published as part of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">LinC</a>, a weekly digital resource for youth small groups and Sunday school classes.&nbsp;The complete study guide can be purchased and downloaded&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
Fri, 19 Jul 2013 12:49:00 GMTIron Man 3http://www.ministrymatters.com/all/blog/entry/3968/iron-man-3http://www.ministrymatters.com/all/blog/entry/3968/iron-man-3
<p>By Ben Kendrick</p>
<img src="http://www.ministrymatters.com/images/custom/10128/image.jpg" align="right" width="308" height="205" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;" />
<p>After <em>The Avengers</em> scored over $1.5 billion at the international box office (the third largest box office haul in history), Marvel Studios initiated &ldquo;Phase 2&rdquo; of their cinematic universe. Starting with <em>Iron Man 3 (</em>which opened<em>&nbsp;</em>May 3) Disney plans to deliver six new Marvel shared movieverse installments between now and the fall of 2015.</p>
<p>In a steadily expanding world of powerful aliens, Norse gods, mutants, supersoldiers, and talking raccoons (just wait for 2014&rsquo;s <em>Guardians of the Galaxy</em>), what role does genius, billionaire, philanthropist, human Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) have to play? That&rsquo;s the initial struggle facing the character in <em>Iron Man 3</em>, as he&rsquo;s still wrestling with Captain America&rsquo;s biting question from The Avengers: &ldquo;Big man in a suit of armor. Take that away&mdash;what are you?&rdquo; However, before Stark can even put his near-death experience in the Battle of New York behind him, he&rsquo;s forced to suit up again and confront an all-new enemy in the mysterious Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), a ruthless terrorist who will stop at nothing to see Stark, the President, and American freedom destroyed.</p>
<h2>The Power Within</h2>
<p>Unlike <em>Iron</em> Man and <em>Iron Man 2</em>, where the titular hero faces off against similarly armor-suited enemies, Iron Man 3 pits the hero against genetically engineered super-soldiers created by the Extremis program. After his Mark 42 Iron Man armor is damaged, Stark must forego his iconic suit and use wit and ingenuity to fight the Extremis soldiers. The ensuing confrontations raise questions about where one&rsquo;s power truly comes from and how one should use this power.</p>
<p>In <em>Iron Man 3</em>, Stark must look within himself for the strength to defeat the Mandarin and the super-charged Extremis force, all of whom seek to use their power for personal gain. All of us, with or without a high-powered armored suit, must determine how and for what we&rsquo;ll use our power. While we may not always think of ourselves as having powers, the Holy Spirit blesses each of us with gifts and talents and provides us with wisdom, strength, comfort, and healing. The power of faith can do incredible things, and we are called to use it responsibly.</p>
<h2>Iron Faith</h2>
<p>The Holy Spirit is the source of our power. As Jesus told his followers after his resurrection, &ldquo;You will receive the power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth&rdquo; (Acts 1:8). The Spirit calls us, guides us, and gives us purpose. While we live in a culture that often tempts us to use our abilities to acquire wealth or recognition, as followers of Christ we must hold ourselves to a higher standard. We must use our power to glorify God and to do the work of God&rsquo;s kingdom.</p>
<p>Some youth are well aware of their gifts. Their gifts have been affirmed and they have had ample opportunity to put their gifts to use, both within and outside of the church. Other youth may feel as though their gifts have been overlooked or aren&rsquo;t valued. All young people need to be aware that God has blessed them with unique talents and abilities and calls them to use the accompanying power for God&rsquo;s glory. As a community of faith we need to help youth identify their strengths and empower them to use these gifts in service of God and others. As believers, we don&rsquo;t need sophisticated high-tech armor, super-serum, or mutant abilities. The power of the Holy Spirit is sufficient to accomplish the superheroic work God calls us to do.</p>
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<p>This article is also published as part of&nbsp;<em><a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">LinC</a></em>, a weekly digital resource for youth small groups and Sunday school classes.&nbsp;The complete study guide can be purchased and downloaded&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:16:00 GMTHow Is it with Your Soul?http://www.ministrymatters.com/all/blog/entry/3737/how-is-it-with-your-soulhttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/blog/entry/3737/how-is-it-with-your-soul
<p>By Ben Kendrick</p>
<img src="http://www.ministrymatters.com/images/custom/9435/image.jpg" align="right" width="308" height="205" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;" />
<p>Following the enormous success of Stephenie Meyer&rsquo;s young adult novel series-turned blockbuster film franchise, <em>The Twilight Saga</em>, Hollywood quickly tapped the writer&rsquo;s 2008 novel <em>The Host</em> for a big-screen production. This time, instead of supernatural humans, <em>The Host</em> is a science-fiction story centered on the invasion of a body-snatching alien race. Implanting bodies with their parasitic &ldquo;souls,&rdquo; the aliens take control of human beings, erasing the original human inhabitants. However, when Melanie Stryder (Saoirse Ronan), a human freedom fighter, is captured and mortally wounded, she is implanted with Wanderer&mdash;a gentle &ldquo;soul&rdquo; who abhors violence and comes to experience conflicted emotions about her race and its occupation of the earth.</p>
<p>Unwilling to be erased, Melanie&rsquo;s will to live allows her to co-exist with Wanderer and even influences the &ldquo;soul&rdquo; with human memories and other experiences, most notably love. Through a series of mutual heartaches, Melanie and Wanderer form a complicated partnership. Combining the best elements of their individual personalities, they push back against the alien occupation, taking the fight to one especially nasty &ldquo;soul,&rdquo; The Seeker (Diane Kruger).</p>
<h2>Desires of the Soul</h2>
<p><em>The Host</em> takes a science-fiction approach to the &ldquo;soul,&rdquo; but Meyer&rsquo;s novel also draws on Christian themes and ideas. For example, the partnership between the Wanderer and Melanie mirrors the complicated relationship between human desire and divine influence that we experience as the Holy Spirit moves and stirs within each of us. Much like Melanie with her &ldquo;soul,&rdquo; we waver between what we want and what the Spirit is leading us to do. We have to balance being in the world&mdash; with all its pleasures and offerings&mdash;with being of God and called to live in service to God and neighbor.</p>
<p>In the church we often talk about the soul. The word <em>soul</em> appears frequently in Scripture, in hymns, in names of Christians books and programs, and in sermons. We feed and tend to our souls; we sing from the soul; we thank Jesus for saving our souls. But what is the soul?</p>
<p>Traditionally people think of the soul as the part of us that lives on beyond death. The Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church offers this definition: &ldquo;the innermost aspect of humans, that which is of greatest value in them, that by which they are most especially in God&rsquo;s image.&rdquo; Our souls are the very essence of who we are. The soul is the part of us that most reflects God&rsquo;s love and mercy, and it is the part of us that &ldquo;thirsts for God&rdquo; (Psalm 42:2). Our soul partners with the Holy Spirit to make us the people God calls us to be.</p>
<h2>A Soul Action</h2>
<p>John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, would begin gatherings by asking his fellow Christians, &ldquo;How is it with your soul?&rdquo; All of us can benefit from asking ourselves this question. Young people, who are coming to terms with who they are and what makes them unique, need to consider how their relationship with God factors into their identity. And they need to understand that, regardless of how they answer John Wesley&rsquo;s question, their friends and peers will know their soul by their actions and behaviors. We should all strive to show people a soul that faithfully reflects its Creator.</p>
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<p>This article is also published as part of&nbsp;<em><a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">LinC</a></em>, a weekly digital resource for youth small groups and Sunday school classes.&nbsp;The complete study guide can be purchased and downloaded&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">here</a>.<span><br /></span></p>
Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:01:00 GMTMoving Forward, Even If We Can't Go Backhttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/blog/entry/2921/moving-forward-even-if-we-cant-go-backhttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/blog/entry/2921/moving-forward-even-if-we-cant-go-back
<p>By Ben Kendrick</p>
<img src="http://www.ministrymatters.com/images/custom/6804/image.jpg" align="right" width="308" height="205" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;" />
<p>Long before <em>The Avengers</em> assembled on the silver screen to save the world from an extraterrestrial threat, the Men in Black were already hard at work managing (and covering up) alien activity on earth. This summer, after a ten-year absence, Agent J (Will Smith) and Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones), are back, this time in 3D.</p>
<p>In <em>Men in Black 3</em> Agent J must travel back to the 1960&rsquo;s to stop a rogue alien from assassinating his partner and to prevent a threat that&mdash;if unaltered&mdash;would have devastating effects on history. When J arrives in the past (after taking a leap of faith from the top of the Chrysler Building), he is greeted by a younger, albeit equally cynical, version of Agent K (played by Josh Brolin). Reunited (sort of), the pair must track down the alien threat and rewrite history to restore the future to normal (with the elder Agent K intact).</p>
<h2>No Do-Overs</h2>
<p>We don&rsquo;t have the luxury of journeying back in time to correct the past, and therefore the future. But no doubt we all have had moments when we wanted to go back and fix things we said or did that we shouldn&rsquo;t have. Maybe we said something cruel to a pestering younger sibling or lashed out against a classmate. Many of us can also recall times when we should have said or done something but didn&rsquo;t. We wish we could have another chance to get it right, a do-over. But we don&rsquo;t have advanced alien technology that allows us to travel through time and make changes, so we&rsquo;re stuck with the consequences.</p>
<p>Though we cannot erase our sins and missteps, we are not without hope. We serve a God of grace who, in the person of Jesus Christ, made atonement for our sins and offers us forgiveness. We don&rsquo;t have to earn forgiveness; we just have to embrace and accept it. We do this through repentance. Repentance involves both confessing our sins and committing to a new way of life. It involves learning from our past so that we can move forward into the future&mdash;better and stronger than before. We see repentance at work throughout Scripture. Many biblical heroes&mdash; Moses, Rahab, David, Peter, and Paul to name a few&mdash;turned away from past sins and found new life in Christ.</p>
<p>As Christians and people of grace, we need to be careful that we don&rsquo;t treat repentance as some sort of get-out-of-jail-free card that we can use over and over again. If we fall into the habit of sinning, then confessing and apologizing, then sinning, then confessing and apologizing, we aren&rsquo;t truly repenting. We need to be intentional about learning and growing from our mistakes and working to make sure that we don&rsquo;t repeat them.</p>
<h2>Repentance and Renewal</h2>
<p>Adolescence is a stage of life that people often associate with acting impulsively and learning by trial and error. Youth, like anyone else, are prone to messing up. While some of these errors can be dismissed as relatively harmless youthful indiscretions, others cause real pain and have real consequences. Though young people need to understand the severity of bullying, underage drinking, and other such errors, they also need to know that these missteps don&rsquo;t define them. They can repent.</p>
<p>Of course, even true repentance won&rsquo;t keep us from sinning or repeating mistakes. As human beings we are flawed and will always fall short of perfection. Instead of striving to live a flawless life, youth would do better to follow Paul&rsquo;s instructions in Romans 12:2: &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God&rsquo;s will is&mdash;what is good and pleasing and mature.&rdquo;</p>
<hr />
<p>This article is also published as part of <em><a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">LinC</a></em>, a weekly digital resource for youth small groups and Sunday school classes. The complete study guide can be purchased and downloaded <a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
Wed, 13 Jun 2012 21:01:50 GMTLiving Abundantlyhttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/2591/living-abundantlyhttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/2591/living-abundantly
<p>By Ben Kendrick</p>
<img src="http://www.ministrymatters.com/images/custom/5895/image.jpg" align="right" width="308" height="205" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;" />
<p>For months many teenage fans of Suzanne Collins&rsquo;s popular young adult novel trilogy <em>The Hunger Games </em>have had March 23 circled on their calendars. That is the day when <em>The Hunger Games</em> movie debuts in theaters.</p>
<p>The film, directed by Gary Ross, follows the adventures of Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) from the dystopian future city of Panem in District 12. District 12, like the other 11 districts, is mandated by the state to send two young representatives&mdash;one boy and one girl&mdash;to fight to the death against their fellow &ldquo;tributes&rdquo; in the Hunger Games. The tributes are chosen through a lottery system, but Katniss volunteers to represent District 12 in place of her younger sister Primrose, who had been chosen as the district&rsquo;s representative.</p>
<p>As a tribute Katniss experiences every form of treachery, danger, and horror imaginable during her time in the arena (the enormous outdoor venue in which the games take place). Despite this, she finds that there is still kindness and compassion, even during a competition in which everyone is supposed to kill his or her opponents.</p>
<h2>Tunnel of Survival</h2>
<p>We are blessed to live during a time and in a place where something as awful as the Hunger Games couldn&rsquo;t exist (though it is important to remember that children in some parts of the world <em>are</em> asked to put their lives on the line for oppressive governments or warlords). But despite all of our blessings, we&mdash;like Katniss in the Hunger Games arena&mdash;sometimes feel as though we are just doing whatever it takes to get by. We feel weighed down by homework assignments, extracurricular activities, jobs, family obligations, and church commitments. We get so wrapped up in the demands of our day-to-day lives that we lose sight of all the ways in which we&rsquo;re blessed and what it truly means to be alive.</p>
<p>How often have you answered a friendly salutation by saying: &ldquo;Oh, you know, same-old same-old,&rdquo; or, &ldquo;Just another day.&rdquo; Sometimes it&rsquo;s as though we&rsquo;ve stopped living and are merely surviving.</p>
<h2>Intentional Life</h2>
<p>God didn&rsquo;t create us so that we would just &ldquo;get by.&rdquo; In fact, our defi nition of &ldquo;getting by&rdquo; is much different from God&rsquo;s. God wants much more for us than for us to do whatever it takes to pay our smart phone bill and fill a college application with extracurricular activities. Jesus came so that we could live an abundant life (see John 10:10). The abundance of which Jesus speaks doesn&rsquo;t refer to money or gadgets or events on our calendar. It refers to an abundance of God&rsquo;s Holy Spirit.</p>
<p>Jesus, in his Sermon on the Mount, tells us not to worry about day-to-day concerns such as food and clothing, but to &ldquo;desire first and foremost God&rsquo;s kingdom and God&rsquo;s righteousness&rdquo; (Matthew 6:33). When we focus on God&rsquo;s kingdom, all of our other worries will take care of themselves.</p>
<p>Focusing on God&rsquo;s kingdom means considering the needs of others before our own; it means being humble and patient; it means setting aside time alone with God; and it means allowing ourselves to celebrate and rejoice in God&rsquo;s blessings. Yes, there will still be times when life is stressful and when we have to knuckle down and deal with day-to-day challenges. But these situations need to be exceptions, not habits. We were not created for anxiety and obsession. Instead God wants us to invest in relationships, to worship, and to relish the blessings in our lives.</p>
<hr />
<p>This article is also published as part of <em><a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">LinC</a></em>, a weekly digital resource for youth small groups and Sunday school classes. The complete study guide can be purchased and downloaded <a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:21:12 GMTSecond Chanceshttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/blog/entry/2350/second-chanceshttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/blog/entry/2350/second-chances
<p>By Ben Kendrick</p>
<img src="http://www.ministrymatters.com/images/custom/5325/image.jpg" align="right" width="308" height="205" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;" />
<p>On January 16th, the FOX network debuted the latest television series from producer J.J. Abrams, the man responsible for blockbuster films such as <em>Super 8</em> and the recent <em>Star Trek</em> reboot, as well as the TV shows Alias and LOST. <em>Alcatraz</em> stars Sam Neill, Sarah Jones, and Jorge Garcia and revolves around a conspiracy that rewrites history. In the show the inmates (and many of the guards) from the federal penitentiary on Alcatraz Island weren&rsquo;t transferred to another facility when Alcatraz closed in 1963. Instead they mysteriously vanished only to reappear one at a time in the present day. The former prisoners and guards, who haven&rsquo;t aged a day, must cope with a world that has moved on without them for fifty years.</p>
<p>In the pilot episode a nonviolent inmate named Jack Sylvane reappears in the present and takes revenge on the prison warden who tormented him while he was incarcerated. In future episodes we&rsquo;ll find out whether other former inmates are able to find forgiveness and redemption in the present day.</p>
<h2>A New Direction</h2>
<p>Reappearing after a fifty-year absence presents all sorts of challenges for the former Alcatraz inmates and guards. But it also offers them a second chance. We also are presented with second chances&mdash;opportunities for us to move in a new direction. Some of these opportunities are obvious: attending a new school where we don&rsquo;t know anyone, coming to terms with a mistake we made that hurt someone, or returning home from a life-changing mission trip. All of these experiences force us to evaluate our lives and changes that we need to make.</p>
<p>But there are many more, less-obvious chances to put the past behind us and head in a new direction. Each and every one of us makes mistakes. As Paul reminds us in Romans 3:23, &ldquo;All have sinned and fall short of God&rsquo;s glory.&rdquo; Every time we sin we have an opportunity to embrace the forgiveness that God offers us through Christ and to reorient our lives in accordance with God&rsquo;s will. Every mistake is a chance to learn and to grow.</p>
<h2>A Faith of Forgiveness</h2>
<p>Forgiveness is one of the most basic and fundamental Christian principles. Ephesians 1:7b tells us that, because of Jesus&rsquo; death on the cross, &ldquo;we have forgiveness for our failures based on his overflowing grace.&rdquo; We all are sinners, but sin doesn&rsquo;t have the final say. We can accept God&rsquo;s grace, leave our poor decisions behind, and head in a new direction.</p>
<p>Forgiveness is an important part of the Lord&rsquo;s Prayer, the prayer that Jesus taught his followers during his Sermon on the Mount and that many Christian churches recite in worship each Sunday. Jesus tells us to pray, &ldquo;Forgive us for the ways we have wronged you,&rdquo; but he doesn&rsquo;t stop there. He adds, &ldquo;just as we also forgive those who have wronged us&rdquo; (Matthew 6:12). Jesus then explains that, as forgiven people, we have an obligation to forgive others.</p>
<p>The disciple Peter asked Jesus, &ldquo;Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Should I forgive as many as seven times?&rdquo; (Matthew 18:21). Jesus answered, &ldquo;Not just seven times, but rather as many as seventy-seven times&rdquo; (Matthew 18:22). The point is not to forgive people exactly seventy-seven times but to make forgiveness a habit.</p>
<p>Forgiving people who have hurt us is seldom easy. And, in many cases, forgiving ourselves is just as difficult. But we serve a God of second chances. We are forgiven people for whom each day brings new life and new opportunities.</p>
<hr />
<p><em>This article is also published as part of </em><a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">LinC</a><em>, a weekly digital resource for youth small groups and Sunday school classes. </em><em>The complete study guide can be purchased and downloaded <a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:49:21 GMTFighting for What's Righthttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/blog/entry/1939/fighting-for-whats-righthttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/blog/entry/1939/fighting-for-whats-right
<p>By Ben Kendrick</p>
<img src="http://www.ministrymatters.com/images/custom/4423/image.jpg" align="right" width="308" height="205" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;" />
<p><em>Real Steel</em>, a science-fiction film directed by Shawn Levy and starring Hugh Jackman, hit theaters earlier this month. The movie, which is loosely based on the 1956 Richard Matheson short-story &ldquo;Steel,&rdquo; is set in a future where boxing involving humans has been outlawed and replaced by robot boxing. It follows a down-on-his-luck robot-boxing manager, Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman), who drifts from place to place and fight to fight, alienating friends and racking up gambling debts and enemies.</p>
<p>Then Charlie learns that the mother of his estranged son, Max (Dakota Goyo), has died, leaving the boy orphaned. Desperate for money, Kenton offers his ex-sister-in-law&rsquo;s fianc&eacute; (who wants to adopt Max) uncontested custodial rights for $100,000. The two reach an agreement in which Charlie gets half of his money up front and the other half after he baby-sits Max for the summer. Charlie reluctantly agrees. Over the course of the summer, Max and Charlie form a tight bond as they pit a junky sparring bot against some of the heaviest hitters in the WRB (World Robot Boxing) league. But as his time with Max draws to a close, Charlie must&mdash;for the first time in years&mdash;gather the courage to fight for something other than his own self-interest.</p>
<h2>The &ldquo;Fight&rdquo; of Faith</h2>
<p>Paul, in 1 Timothy 6:12a, tells us to &ldquo;compete in the good fight of faith.&rdquo; For Christians, fighting doesn&rsquo;t mean proving our strength by hurting others (and it usually doesn&rsquo;t involve robots). The &ldquo;fight&rdquo; that Paul talks about involves standing up for what we believe in and value, striving to be the people God calls us to be, and persevering in the face of whatever challenges come our way.</p>
<p>We all face challenges. We&rsquo;ve all had times when we&rsquo;ve felt tired or overwhelmed. We&rsquo;ve all been knocked down, either literally or figuratively. We&rsquo;ve all experienced doubts. And we&rsquo;ve all been tempted to give up.</p>
<p>Fighting through the challenges that we face can be exhausting. But God doesn&rsquo;t expect us to fight alone. God is present with us, providing for us and giving us strength and encouragement. When the prophet Elijah was running for his life from Queen Jezebel, he sat down under a bush and asked God to take his life (see 1 Kings 19:3-5). But God still had plans for Elijah and wouldn&rsquo;t allow him to give up. God sent a messenger to provide Elijah with food and instructions. Strengthened and refreshed, Elijah was able to get up and face the difficult journey ahead.</p>
<h2>In Our Corner</h2>
<p>We are not alone in our struggles; God is always with us. But we also have the support of other people. When Israel was attacked by the Amalekites, Moses stood on a hill overlooking the battle and raised his arms (see Exodus 17:8-16). As long as his arms were raised, the Israelites prevailed. When he grew weary and lowered his arms, the Amalekites surged ahead. Realizing that Moses&rsquo; arms were the key to Israel&rsquo;s survival, Aaron and Hur stood beside Moses and held up his hands.</p>
<p>We also need people to hold up our hands when we are tired. God doesn&rsquo;t expect us to &ldquo;compete in the good fight of faith&rdquo; alone. Instead, we must rely on one another. We must offer support and encouragement to others and be willing to accept it for ourselves.</p>
<p>When we persevere in faith, we can look forward to all the blessings God has in store for us. In 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Paul writes: &ldquo;I have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. At last the champion&rsquo;s wreath that is awarded for righteousness is waiting for me. The Lord, who is the righteous judge, is going to give it to me on that day. He&rsquo;s giving it not only to me but also to all those who have set their heart on waiting for his appearance.&rdquo; We, too, should fight the good fight&mdash;not with weapons and violence&mdash;but with faith and perseverance.</p>
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<p>This post is also published as part of <a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">LinC</a>, a weekly digital resource for youth small groups and Sunday school classes. The complete study guide can be purchased and downloaded <a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:07:07 GMTTransformed to Face the Pressurehttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/1429/transformed-to-face-the-pressurehttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/1429/transformed-to-face-the-pressure
<p>By Ben Kendrick</p>
<img src="http://www.ministrymatters.com/images/custom/3373/image.jpg" align="right" width="308" height="205" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;" />
<p>At midnight on June 28th thousands of fans filtered into theaters to catch the first public screenings of Michael Bay&rsquo;s third installment in the robots in disguise series with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformers:_Dark_of_the_Moon"><em>Transformers: Dark of the Moon</em></a>. The director had a lot to prove: Despite raking in over four hundred million dollars in the United States alone, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformers:_Revenge_of_the_Fallen"><em>Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen</em></a> was panned by critics and left many moviegoers scratching their heads at the film&rsquo;s thin story.</p>
<p>Bay later admitted that the 2008 writer&rsquo;s strike had a negative impact on production and promised that <em>Dark of the Moon</em> would deliver where the prior film had failed&mdash;with the story. This time around the story involves a secret plot by the evil Decepticons to activate a Decepticon army on the moon and invade earth. Fighting off their more powerful adversaries is a tall order for the heroic Autobots and their human counterparts, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf), Carly Miller (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley), and William Lennox (Josh Duhamel). And the situation becomes especially dire when the Decepticons decide to lay waste to the city of Chicago.</p>
<p>Of course, beating the odds is what heroes do. The hero who finds a creative way to escape a predicament is a staple of summer action-movie blockbusters. But we don&rsquo;t live in movies. When we&rsquo;re against the odds, we have no guarantee that everything will be resolved in tidy fashion and in a mere two hours&rsquo; time.</p>
<h2>Stressed Out</h2>
<p>You probably aren&rsquo;t facing a full-on invasion by hostile extraterrestrial, cybernetic organisms who want to re-create their war-torn planet on earth, but that doesn&rsquo;t mean that you don&rsquo;t ever feel over-scheduled, outnumbered, stressed out, or otherwise overwhelmed. Whether you face a growing stack of unfinished paperwork, a full calendar of activities, personal drama with friends, conflicts with family, health problems, or&mdash;most likely&mdash;a combination of these challenges and others, you probably know how it feels to be overwhelmed. The challenges before you may seem too big to overcome; stress and worry may prevent you from giving your full attention to the task at hand. At times it can be tempting to give up or buckle under the pressure. Fortunately, for those who are stressed out, overwhelmed, or up against unfavorable odds, we serve a God who can relate to us and who is always present with us.</p>
<h2>Faith in the Darkness</h2>
<p>God, who became fully human in the person of Jesus, understands what it&rsquo;s like to be overwhelmed. And we can learn a great deal from Jesus&rsquo; example. When he was overwhelmed, he withdrew to spend time alone in prayer. (See Matthew 14:1-13 and 26:36-46.) He needed to connect with his heavenly Father and focus on God&rsquo;s will.</p>
<p>When we are under pressure, we may feel as though time spent in prayer is time wasted. But often the best course of action is to retreat and spend time with God. Prayer puts things in perspective. Through prayer we receive guidance and comfort. We are able to focus on God&rsquo;s will and set aside our worries and stresses. Psalm 23, perhaps the best-known psalm, is a prayer that puts things in perspective when we are overwhelmed by stress or the odds are against us. It reminds us of God&rsquo;s presence, even in the &ldquo;darkest valley&rdquo; or when we&rsquo;re surrounded by our enemies. It promises us that God will comfort us and lead us through the challenges that come our way.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>This article is also published as part of </em><a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">LinC</a><em>, a weekly digital resource for youth small groups and Sunday school classes. </em><em>The complete study guide can be purchased and downloaded <a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:03:49 GMTYour Inner Superherohttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/1117/your-inner-superherohttp://www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/1117/your-inner-superhero
<p>By Ben Kendrick</p>
<img src="http://www.ministrymatters.com/images/custom/2606/image.jpg" align="right" width="308" height="205" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;" />
<p>On its opening weekend, Marvel Studios&rsquo; latest superhero-comic-turned-feature-film, <em>Thor</em>, electrified American box offices. Director Kenneth Branagh helmed the project, with Chris Hemsworth (George Kirk in the recent <em>Star Trek</em> reboot) starring as the titular God of Thunder.</p>
<p>While there have been numerous interpretations of Marvel&rsquo;s Thor throughout the forty-nine years that the character has been featured in comic-book properties, the film version serves as an origin story as well as a prequel to the upcoming Avengers superhero mash-up film. It follows a young Thor as he&rsquo;s punished by his father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), for his reckless and arrogant behavior. Thor lands in New Mexico when Odin casts him out of Asgard (the mythical realm of the Norse gods) and strips him of his superhuman strength, powers, and iconic hammer, Mjolnir. Meanwhile Odin puts a spell on Mjolnir that protects the weapon until a worthy hero wields it. Inevitably Thor sets off on a journey of self-discovery and must uncover what it truly means to use his gifts in service of others instead of to bolster his own ego.</p>
<h2>Super-powered Faith</h2>
<p>Most of us can relate to Thor&rsquo;s journey (apart from the super powers and immortality and such). We go through times when we are motivated by pride and self-interest and put ourselves at the center of everything. We are guilty of using our gifts and talents to draw attention to ourselves or for material gain. And most of us have had experiences where we&rsquo;ve been humbled, where we&rsquo;ve realized that we don&rsquo;t have all the answers, and where we&rsquo;ve had to come to terms with our shortcomings and admit we need help. These humbling situations have a way of showing us that heroism isn&rsquo;t about making a show of our talents and accomplishments but about giving ourselves in service of God and others.</p>
<p>We all need opportunities to identify and affirm our gifts and abilities. Our knack for math, skills on the saxophone, or natural charisma aren&rsquo;t just tools we can use to land a job or get into college. God intends for us to use these gifts to bless the world. It&rsquo;s easy for us, like Thor, to take these talents for granted, especially if they come easily to us. Instead of thinking of them as treasured gifts that we should cherish and use responsibly, often we think of them as ways to please ourselves and get what we want.</p>
<h2>A Life of Super Service</h2>
<p>When we ignore God&rsquo;s larger purpose, we may find wealth or fame, but we miss a greater reward: the joy of serving and seeing God&rsquo;s love spread through the world. As Jesus taught his disciples, wealth and fame aren&rsquo;t all they&rsquo;re cracked up to be. He said, &ldquo;Whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant&rdquo; (Matthew 20:26b) and called the poor and the hungry and the persecuted &ldquo;blessed&rdquo; (see Luke 6:20-22). Jesus himself, though &ldquo;he was in the form of God&rdquo; (Philippians 2:6), humbly became a human being and lived a life of service. Paul writes, &ldquo;[Jesus] humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God honored him and gave him a name above all names&rdquo; (see Philippians 2:9). As followers of Christ, we claim the power of the Holy Spirit. This power comes with responsibility (as Thor&rsquo;s fellow Marvel superhero Spider-Man knows well). We have a responsibility to follow Jesus&rsquo; example of humility and service, to live a life of righteousness and holiness, and to be Christ&rsquo;s witnesses. When we use our Spirit-given powers responsibly and faithfully, we can join with the church in an effort to transform the world.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>This article is also published as part of </em><a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">LinC</a><em>, a weekly digital resource for youth small groups and Sunday school classes. </em><em>The complete study guide can be purchased and downloaded <a href="http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/digitalstore.aspx?lvl=Digital%20Curriculum&amp;catname=LINC&amp;sortorder=5" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
Fri, 27 May 2011 15:52:46 GMT